Retin-A and Irritation: What Users Say

• Jos...
• December 29, 2013

For Acne "So, about five months ago, I asked my esthetician for some Retin-A (tretinoin) cream, and she gave me the 1% concentration. I had moderate acne when I was younger, but I didn't leave it alone. Haha. I picked at it, and so I have some 'mild' (Or so I'm told - I think it's terrible!) scarring now, even though my acne went away with age. I'm 25 now. Acne went away at about 19. Some are pockmarks, and others just discoloration and a little uneven texture. I jumped straight to everyday use. Expected irritation and redness, but none came. My (sensitive) skin handled it awesomely. Product works great. Skin peels off every morning. Haha. Scars are fading nicely. Pockmarks much less depressed. I get compliments on my skin now!"

• san...
• November 26, 2013

For Acne "I started getting small bumps (not exactly pimples, but should be taken care of immediately, else, it would grow into pimples later) on my forehead and chin areas. It started to spread to my cheeks too. I first started using Retin-A cream. Initially, I had lots of new breakouts, but didn't give up my patience. New breakouts started to fade out on continuous application at only nights after cleansing with Episoft lotion. After a month I started applying Retin-A, my skin texture, pimple marks, and uneven skin tone have improved drastically. The only thing is to use this product only at night after proper cleansing. Initially, this will cause skin peeling and irritation."

• Liv...
• August 1, 2020

For Acne "Retin-A... wow is all I can say. This product is amazing. I had small, stubborn little bumps (clogged pores) and just overall comedonal acne. Retin-A has completely cleared my skin and made it look even better than it did before I had acne. My skin is so smooth, and it just continues to boost my skin confidence. I've been on Retin-A for about a year and use “Retin-A Micro Pump Gel 0.06%.” I did purge a lot and had slight dryness/irritation in the beginning, but I didn’t mind it because I WANTED to get rid of the small bumps that were clogged pores. My top advice about this product is using it consistently! This product works slowly (but effectively) and will take some time to produce the wonderful results. Also, I still get a pimple occasionally, but nowhere near what I had. The pimple will usually come and go quickly with this product. I use a moisturizer and a good SPF sunscreen. This is the BEST, so stick it out during the purging phase because it is WORTH IT."

• Mer...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2020

For Acne "I am 51 years old, and after years of remission, had a recurrence of acne. I took Accutane when I was in my late twenties. The oiliness of my skin has not abated with age, so I researched possible treatments and decided to try Retin-A. The doctor prescribed 0.05%, and I started using it. After about a month of use, my skin was very irritated, and I experienced a worsening of my acne. I continued to use it and changed my skincare routine by using Cetaphil to wash my face and CeraVe moisturizer SPF 30 in the AM and CeraVe PM at night. I also had to buy a foundation for normal/dry skin. As of now, I have no new pimples, and scars are gradually fading. More than satisfied with this treatment."

• Kim...
• March 3, 2021

For Acne "I’ve been using Retin-A for the last 5 months now. The first 3 months were awful as I got the worst acne breakouts of my life, and they came in the form of cystic, pus-filled, painful acne spots. My face looked horrible, I dreaded going out. It was a nightmare, but after reading reviews of people's experiences, I decided not to stop. Fast forward to 5 months now, and there has been tremendous improvement, most especially in my skin texture. My acne is now 80% under control, but I am dealing with intense hyperpigmentation, but overall my skin has never looked better. My skin texture is really amazing now. So my advice to anyone about to start: stick with it and buffer with a heavy-duty moisturizer when you’re about to start to minimize irritation and purging. And lastly, don’t rely on tretinoin alone. Salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide in combination with Retin-A would give you better and faster results, so talk to your dermatologist about what works for you."